Marion H. Montgomery Jr.

Crawford - Marion H. Montgomery, Jr., 86, died Wednesday November 23, 2011, at his home in Crawford, Georgia. He was surrounded by his family and friends.
Professor emeritus from the English department, UGA, Montgomery retired in 1987 after many years of service there.
Born in Thomaston, Georgia on April 16, 1925, Montgomery was the son of Lottie Jenkins Montgomery. He was educated at Robert E. Lee Institute. He went directly into service with the United States Army and was, after training, engaged as a member of Armored Field Artillery as US forces pushed across Europe to the Elbe, where they converged with Russian forces. Toward the end of his European service he served as a guard during the Nuremberg trials.
Discharged at Fort Bragg in 1946, Montgomery enrolled at the University of Georgia where he was blessed with the friendship and guidance of many fine faculty and staff members who influenced his entire life. He was forever grateful.
Completing his BA and MA work, he served as Business Manager of the GEORGIA REVIEW and Assistant Director of the University Press during those years.
After a brief stint as a teacher at a private school, he returned to UGA where he remained. Two years of leave time were devoted to study at the State University of Iowa at the well known writing school led by Paul Engle. He also served on the staff of the WESTERN REVIEW there.
A writer as well as a teacher, Professor Montgomery produced novels, short stories, poetry, literary criticism, essays and philosophical presentations.
Active both before and after retirement, his published works number more than 37 books. He travelled as a lecturer in this country and abroad. He was awarded for his work a number of times by diverse groups. The ones of greatest local interest included the Georgia Writer's Association Literary Achievement award, the Stanley W. Lindberg award, and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute's Gerhart Niemeyer award.
Montgomery is survived by his wife Dorothy Carlisle Montgomery, whom he married in 1951. They have six children, twenty-one grands and five great-grands. They are Priscilla (Ken) Jensen and their six; Lola Montgomery and her three; Marion (Deb) Montgomery III and their three; Heli Montgomery and her two; Sabine (Mark) Bo"s-Way and their son; and Lewellyn Byrd and her four sons. There are many godsons and daughters.
Additional survivors include Betty Montgomery Lackey and her children; Doris Montgomery and her children; and Richard (Fran) Montgomery and their children.
None of the achievements or awards was counted so special by Montgomery as the wealth of family and neighbors, the lively student friends and companionship of many fine colleagues. The students now populate small towns and far cities. A goodly number of the colleagues now populate Oconee Hill cemetery. He liked nothing better than lighting up a Marsh Wheeling and sharing an evening's talk on his front porch in Crawford with his friends and neighbors.
In honor of those evenings, he bids you now Godspeed.
Visitation with the family will be at Lord and Stephen's Oglethorpe Chapel in Crawford from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday November 26th at Saint Stephen's Anglican Catholic Church, 800 Timothy Road, Athens, GA, 30606. Burial will be at 3 p.m. in Crawford Cemetery, Crawford.
Those wishing to make memorial gifts may do so by donating to Saint Stephen's Anglican Catholic Church Mission Fund: Children's Homes. Address them to the church cited above, attention Nancy Bennett.